Terminal 5, Heathrow Airport

Terminal 5 is intended to reinforce Heathrow’s position as Europe’s principal intercontinental hub. The terminal, primarily to be used by British Airways, was the subject of a design competition in 1989 and is a response to growing passenger numbers and will form a gateway to Britain and Europe for travellers from across the globe. The client, British Airports Authority (BAA) and the major tenant, British Airways, required a new terminal building and satellite on a site covering some 250 hectares (the area of Hyde Park or 50 football pitches) – a complex capable of handling up to 36 million passengers a year that would minimise any environmental impact and contribute positively to the site.

The terminal itself, which will occupy the site of a former sewage treatment plant to the west of the existing airport, includes an automated baggage handling system, major airside retail facilities, large lounges and 18 aircraft stands. Ancillary components of the development include two satellite buildings, a hotel, a new London Underground station, a Heathrow Express train station, a heavy rail track for potential international rail connections, coach and bus station, short term parking facilities and a new spur road from the M25 motorway. In addition, the design has had to satisfy a large and diverse group of stakeholders including 5,000 workers and 2,000 support staff, including security, immigration, customs, retail tenants, public transport operators and local authorities.

Having won the competition, RRP’s successful design was then the subject of a major public enquiry that focused on all proposed development at Heathrow. Feasibility work on the masterplan and buildings continued but final approval for the scheme was only granted by the local authority over a decade later in 2003. Following the appointment to design the new terminal, RRP was also commissioned to design a new control tower to provide a state-of-the-art platform for air traffic control at Heathrow.